Stars Review: What’s Plan B?

File photo: Len Cederholm

Stars plans centered around Mallory Swanson, but was there a plan B?

Much like the Chicago Bears offense during Walter Payton’s time, if a defense managed to stop Walter Payton from running all over them, then you are able to stop the Bears. The few times when that was an exception was when quarterback Jim McMahon was healthy.It seems for the opponents of the Stars that if you are able to stop Mallory Swanson from scoring, then you are able to stop the Stars.

Of course, Swanson is just coming back after 18 months of maternity leave and did score in her second match back. The following week, Swanson was a non-factor and the Stars fell, 2-0, to San Diego. There was a disallowed goal for offside, but the reality is this. The Stars are second bottom in the NWSL and have scored the fewest goals and allowed the most. General manager Richard Feuz was sacked on May 27th and there is a search for a new head of soccer operations.

There have been some injuries, most notable to defender Natalie Kuikka, but it does not seem like there was a plan B to build this squad after Swanson went on maternity leave. One outlet where the Stars used to build from, the NWSL Draft, is no more, and that has hampered the squad a bit. The result is that the Stars are facing perhaps a third wooden spoon in four seasons.

As far as off the pitch, the move to Evanston has not translated into higher average attendance (not skewed by a match at Soldier Field or Wrigley Field) as the average is currently 3.926 which is bottom of the league. Were it not for a match at Soldier Field as part of a doubleheader with the Fire last season as well as a sneak preview match in Evanston, average attendance would’ve been bottom by a distance. There are extenuating circumstances this season (i.e. the Men’s World Cup in this country), but the increase in average attendance has not quite materialized as of yet.

There have been positives such as the return of Swanson and the Stars matching their win total from last season (three). There is optimism that once more players get healthy after the break, the squad’s fortunes will improve, but the Stars look far from being a contender at this point and part of the reason is the club failing to have a backup plan during Swanson’s maternity leave and adding sufficient depth in other ways after one way to do was negotiated away in the last collective bargaining agreement.

The plan for club ownership needs to be to build the product on the pitch no matter where the product is located. It seems unrealistic that the optics will improve is the club does manage to play matches at Ryan Field or a new stadium in the future unless management gets serious about hiring proven talent for its soccer operations and really building the squad around Mallory Swanson. Otherwise, despite the move North, the Stars will continue to spend some time in the southernmost reaches of the NWSL table.